Yarn carrier control mechanism



C. F. MEYER YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Dec. 14, 1937;

Filed Dec. 1'7, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

Dec. 14, 1937. c. F. MEYER YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Dec. 1'7,- 1936 F; E a- I N V EN TOR. a)

A TTORNEY.

Dec. 14, 1937. c. F. MEYER 2,1025%52 YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 1'7, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTOR WE).

wzciz w.

Dec. 14, 1937. c. F. MEYER 2,102,562

YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 1'7, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 lllli-l ATTORNEY INVENTOR: v Lkrisifanffle e1,

Dec. 14, 1937. F, MEYER 2,102,562

YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Dec. 17, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN T R.

ATTORNE Dec. 14, 1937. C M I 2,102,562

YARN CARRIER CONTROL ME CHANISM Filed Dec. 17, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 [1 l E r IN V EN TOR:

g: kg

WZQZ V, 4 ATTORA Y.

w M V I 4% I 7 i M a W Dec. 14, 1937. c, F, MEYER 2,102,562

YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM I FiledDec. 17, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 P 1&1??? 11am? Fla-i7! i a 'fl j P a i FT. [Er-"LE? Fizz-1.5? FLEZLEF BY 6 W ATTORNE.

a; ing the. boxes pick up'another carrier.

Patented Dec.14,1937

PATENT oFFicE YARN CARRIER CONTROL MECHANISM Christian F. Meyer, Wyomissing, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania,

Application December 1'7, 1936, Serial Nb. 116,389

12 Claims.

My invention relates to means for laying yarns in recurrent sequence to the loop-forming mechanisms of Straight, or full-fashioned stocking, knitting machines to produce ringless and 5 other fabrics.

, It is well known that, when a stocking fabric is knitted by a single'carrier from a single yarn, weak lengths, or sections of reduceddiameter occurring in the thread are sometimes formed into successive courses immediately adjacent to sections of standard diameter at opposite sides thereof. This feature produces what are known as "rings or shadows", in the form of. horizontal streaks across the blank, to avoid which, it has been suggested to knit the'blank from separate identical yarns by interspersing the yarns to avoid having weak lengths of any one yarn appear in successive courses. Although variations of the number of yarns,

separate yarns in recurrent sequence. This number has operated to best advantage from various viewpoints, such as producing a fabric substantially commercially free from rings, and adapting itself to practical methods and machines for producing the fabric.

4 Also, as far as I am aware, each of the high- I s production machines for this purpose heretofore I a special friction-box mechanism, or single-box employed, has produced its results by the use of structure to which the three carriers are attached, and from which they are released, in

sequence.

Thus, although three carriers are operated in sequence, each to lay a length of yarn only in every third stroke of the special friction box, the

latter is subject to the same wear and frictional heat as a single box laying the same thread in' every'course. Such box starts each stroke substantially instantaneously after being heated by the next previous stroke, to transmit such heat to the friction rod and to itself be further heated without appreciable interval for cooling between strokes.

These special friction --\boxes carry relatively complicated'mechanisms for sequentially attachto, and releasing them from, the several carriers. This feature requires exact slides or levers on the boxes and dogs on the carrier bars, and also requires special holding devices for the bars whereby the boxes may release one carrier at the end of each and the order and character of the courses, have construction and timing for register between stroke and According to one form of my invention, each of. the plurality of carriers forlaying the sequential yarns, during the production of stockings of the same style, is constantly connected to a friction box individual thereto, and instead of having the carriers alternately connected to, and disconnected from, one and the same friction box, the carrier selection is effected by alternately clamping the boxes to, and releasing them from, the friction rod. Thus, with three friction boxes spaced from each other along the rod, and operating alternately, the heat of friction generated between the rod and each box is separate fromthe heat of friction generated by the other boxes, whereby to greatly enhance the ability of the machine to operate at maximum efficiency for long periods of time at high speed. The device may be operated to actuate the three friction boxes as disclosed, or be rearranged so as not to operate the three boxes, but to actuate only one box for any desired purpose.

In modern high-speed operation of fullfashioned stocking andother straight'knitting machines, the impacts between the full-speed carrier bars and the end stops are of such magnitude and frequency as to jar the machine, to shake parts out of place, and to cause asynchronous operation, stoppages of the'machlnes, defective fabrics, expense, delay, excessive noise and other undesirable results.

To overcome these objections, provisions have been made-in the form of a shock-reducer rod parallel to the frictionrod which is reciprocated .at a speed less than the speed of the friction rod. Hinges or levers have been provided on the friction boxes, to act as side projections which can be moved to inactive positions away from the shock reducer rod. Each of these levers, in active position, is adapted to engage collars or projections on the shock reducer rod, near the ends of the carrier bar strokes, at a time when the shock reducer rod is traveling at its reduced speed in the same direction as the higher speed friction rod. v

The retarding action effected when the friction-box. hinge engages the collar on the shock reducer rod, as the carrier bar approaches one of its stops, causes the box to slide relative to the friction rod, while still being driven by it, such that the carrier barengages its stop with negligible impact. Means have heretofore been provided to move these hinges between active and inactive posi; tions, but not, so far as I am aware,in'such to cooperate with such shock reducer means in producing ringless" or other fabrics requiring operation of the yarn carrier bars in repetitive series cycles.

One object of my invention is to provide novel means for operating a plurality of yarn carrier elements, or bars, of a knitting machine in repetitive series cycles, thereby to effect the production of ringless and other fabrics, or portions thereof, requiring the operation of the yarn carrier elements in this manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for selectively actuating a plurality of devices, such as friction boxes, to alternately effect connections and releases between actuating means, such. as a friction rod, and yarn carrier elements, such as carrier bars, in repetitive sequence or successive similar series cycles during a single fabric completing cycle, as in producing a stocking blank.

Another object is to provide a yarn carrier selector of the friction rod and box type that is more efficient from the standpoint of heat generation in that it receives less heat from, and returns less heat to, the friction rod or actuator, and is thereby more effective in high-speed operation.

Another object is to provide a device of the above-indicated character that is more certain in its operation, that is less likely to get out of order, and that more postively holds a friction box or equivalent connector unit in inactive position.

Another object is to maintain yarn carriers in constant connection to friction box or equivalent means in permanent alignment with a'friction rod or other actuator to avoid shifting connections between selectively operated carriers and the actuator.

A further object of the invention is to avoid the requirement of extremely precise dimensions and accurate fit between the parts of a yarn carrier selector, and to provide a device of this character that is capable of novel cooperation with shock reducing means.

Additional objects of my invention are to avoid the disadvantages above mentioned, and to provide a novel mechanism free therefrom, that is more rugged and durable, and that is economical to manufacture and effective in its operation.

With these and other objects in view, which will'become apparent from the following detailed description of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the invention represented by this mechanism resides in its novel elements, features of construction and arrangements of parts in cooperative relation, as hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view on a reduced scale of a multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine embodying the invention, the view being shortened by distance breaks, and parts being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of certain parts involved in laying three yarns alternately in succeeding courses of a fabric during the knitting thereof;

Fig. 3 is a diagram indicating the yarn courses and the sequence of laying these courses by the machine of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 7, enlarged relative thereto, and having a distance'break;

Fig. 5 is a view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4, on a reduced scale relative thereto;

Fig. 6 is a view on a reduced scale, taken along the line B-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 1, enlarged relative thereto;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. '7, but on a reduced scale relative thereto, and showing further parts;

Fig. 11 is a view taken along the line l I---! I of Fig. 7, enlarged relative thereto;

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view taken along the line i2--l2 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 13 is a detail view of parts along the line I3|3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 14 is a view taken along the line I l-I4 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of friction boxes, a friction rod, carrier bars and associated parts including yarn guide fingers on the bars as related to a portion of a stocking fabric, indicated on a very greatly increased scale relative to the other parts of the figure;

Fig. 16a is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 8 of a friction box, with the parts positioned as at one stage of operation;

Fig. 16b is a view similar to Fig. 161: of a second friction box, with its parts as positioned during the time that the parts of the box of Fig. 16a. are positioned as therein shown;

Fig. 160 is a View similar to Fig. 16b of a third friction box, with itsparts as positioned during the time that the parts of the boxes of Fig. 16a and Fig. 16b are positioned as shown in these figures;

Fig. 17a, Fig. 171) and Fig. 170 are views similar to Fig. 16a, Fig. 16b andFig. 160, respectively, of the three separate friction boxes thereof, with the parts as simultaneously positioned at a subsequent stage of operation; and

Fig. 18a, Fig. 18b and Fig. 18c are views similar to Fig. 1711, Fig. 17b and Fig. 170, respectively, of the three separate friction boxes thereof, with the parts as simultaneously positioned at a further stage of operation.

In practicing the invention, in the example given, a. longitudinally stationary elongated element or rod is placed parallel to a usual friction rod or actuator and to a shock-reducer rod, and three friction boxes or carrier-moving devices provided, each of double-friction box character for alternately clamping the box to the stationary and friction rods. i V

The invention includes the provision of means connected between the clamps of any one friction box or equivalent device for correlating the release of the box from one rod to the gripping by the box of the other rod and vice versa, so that, when released from the friction rod, the

box is immediately held by the stationary rod,

and when released from the latter is immediately moved by the friction rod.

The selection of the carriers is thus effected by means, such as the friction rod and a friction box, which are in constant alignment, or ready for instant cooperation, with each other without shifting any element from one member to another as with the above-mentioned special friction boxes.

A rotatable shaft extending parallel to the above-mentioned rods, operates as a single means responsive to operation of the machine to operate rotatable cams through gear wheels of a mechanism carried by each box and splined'to the shaft for rotation therewith and movement therealong. The cams actuate the double-friction box clamps as aforesaid to alternately grip and release the friction and stationary rods independently of movement which may be given to either of these rods. By arranging the abovementioned rotatable cams in proper angular relation about the axes of rotation thereof, and having active and inactive perimetral portions proportioned accordingly, the device-may be adapted to produce ringless fabric. The structure is adaptable to laying yarns of different thicknesses, colors, texture and other characteristics, in cyclic relation to produce stripes or otherpattern effects. Also, by rearrangement of operating in sequence parts, the number of boxes may be varied.

In the case of the three-carrier operation, the centers of the active surfaces of corresponding cams of the respective boxes are disposed one hundred and twenty degrees apart, with the centers of the inactive surfaces correspondingly spaced, so that with each of three friction boxes connected to its associated carrier bar, the sequential carrier bar action is effected by alternately connecting the boxes to, and disconnecting them from, the friction rod, with the boxes being held to the stationary rod when released from the friction rod, or from a similar reversely movable carrier-actuator element.

hinged or pivoted to each box, coacts with collars on a rod operating at a reduced speed: such as half the speed of the friction rod or actuator .whereby, near the end of each stroke, the hinged member engages a collar'onthe reduced-speed rod. This action retards the travel of the box and causes the associated carrier bar to engage the corresponding end stop with negligible impact.

According to the invention, these hinged members of the respective boxes are operated in sequence between active and inactive positions relative to the collars, depending upon ,whether a box is active orinactive, to place the inactive hinged elements out of the way of the collars.

The drawings illustrate parts of a Reading full-fashioned knitting machine necessary for an understanding of the invention. Other parts and the operation thereof are well known in the art, as set forth in the Reading Full Fashioned Knitting Machine Catalogues, copyrighted 1920, 1929 and 1935, and published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania, and a booklet entitled Knitting Machine Lectures published in 1935 by the Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.

Referring to Figs. 1, 7 and 10, the framework of the machine therein'shown comprises end frames l5, centerframes l6, a front beam II, a back beam I8, a center bed 2| and a front bed 22.

A cam shaft 25, and a loop-forming mecha-- nism including a needle-bar assembly N and a sinker-head assembly S, are mounted on this framework.

Yarn carrier bars I to 8, inclusive, are supported by brackets, one bracket 21 of which is shown in each of Figs. 7 and 10 secured to the center bed 2|. The bars I to 8, inclusive, have fingers attached thereto for delivery of yarn to the needle-bar and sinker-head assemblies N and S. Three of these fingers Fl, F2 and F3 are attached to the bars I, 2 and 3,.respectively, as shown in Fig. 2 for laying yarns Yl, Y2 and Y3,

A member,

respectively, to the loop-forming mechanism.-

The yarns are fed to the fingegs from yarn packages, bobbins or cones 29 on obbin pins 3| in a moistening box or humidifying unit H at the rear of the machine, from which each yarn passes through an eyelet 33 in the top wall of the unit H, against a stationary guide rod 34, through a snapper 3I'on a shaft 38,- and against another ,stationary guide rod 4| to one of the fingers.

The carrier bars I to 8, inclusive, are selectively reciprocated longitudinally, to lay the yarns to the loop-forming mechanism, by a usual and well known coulier-motion mechanism (not shown) operating through a friction rod 42 and friction boxes, such as the boxes Bl, B2 and B3, to be more fully set forth. Full-course reciprocating movement of the carrier bars is controlled by usual end stops E.

The coulier-motion mechanism also actuates slur cock boxes 45 for effecting certain operation of the sinker head assembly S in synchronism with the needle bar assembly N. The latter is operated from the cam shaft 25', through a needle bar lifting shaft 46, a needle bar lifting lever 41 and a forked member 48 (Fig. 2) constituting cam shaft 25 by narrowing head cam actuating levers 54. The spindles 52, and other spindles (not shown) for actuating the end stops E, are controlled in forward, reverse and reset movements by mechanism R.

Ashock reducer rod 55, extending parallel to 1 the friction rod 42, is actuated by the couliermotion mechanism at a speed lessthan the speed of the friction rod, such as half the speed of the latter. Therod carries collars, one collar 56 of which is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 13. These collars are clamped to the rod for engagement by members 51 hinged by pins 58 to housing members 6| of the friction boxes BI, B2and B3.

A rod 65, similar to the friction rod 42, except that the rod is stationarily mounted on the machine frame, is disposed in closely adjacent parallel relation to the friction rod.

Each housing BI is of two-part or housing character embracing both rods 42 and 65. Each box carries a slide 62 having a handle 63 and a lug 64 whereby the boxes BI, B2 and B3 are detachably connected to the bars I, 2 and.3, respectively, by placing the corresponding lugs in slots 18 of dogs II, I2 and I3 on the bars I, 2 and 3.

Members 66 and 61 in the housing 6 I, surrounding the rods 65 and 42, respectively, each have a bottom portion enclosing friction shoes 68, and a top portion or bridge I8, in which are journaled shafts I4 and I5.

The shafts I4 and I5 of the box B2, carry disc cams 18a and 11a, respectively, for action against usual leaf springs 68 disposed on the shoes 68.

Similarly the shafts I4 and I5 of the box BI carry disc cams 18b and Nb, respectively, and the shafts I4 and I5 of the box B3 carry disc cams 16c and He, respectively.

A bracket 82, bridged across both members 66 and 61, and secured in grooves 83 by screws 84, supports members 85 and 86 journaled therein, Fig. 4.

The member 85, as better seen in Fig. 12, is of shaft-like character having a slotted end 88 fitting a head 88 on the shaft I4. The head 88 is of rounded character having opposite flat sides fitting the end 88, Fig. 14. The member 85 further has a pinion 9I, a bearing portion 92 journaled in the bracket 82, and an eccentric stud 93 disposed in a slot 95, Figv 13, in the associated hinged member 51, whereby rotation of the member alternately moves the member 51 between active and inactive positions relative to the collars 56 on the half-speed shock-reducer rod 55.

The member 86 is constructed similarly to the member 85, with the exception of the eccentric stud 93, which is omitted, and a bearing portion 91 which corresponds to, but is smaller in diameter than, the bearing portion 92. A slotted end 98, similar to the end 88, is provided on the member 86 for similar cooperation with a head 99 on the shaft I5. Likewise, a pinion I0! on the member 86 is similar to the pinion 9| on the member 85.

The bracket 82 has a forked portion I02 (Figs. 4 and 6) embracing a member I between collars I06 thereon whereby movement of the box by the friction rod carries the member I05 slidably along a control shaft I01. The latter is axially stationary, but rotatable, whereby, through the medium of a spline I08, the member M5 is rotated by the shaft I01 at the ends of coulier-motion strokes, as will appear. A gear wheel M9 on the member I05 engages the pinions 9| and IM on the members 85 and 88, respectively.

Upon rotationof the shaft I01, the disc cams 16a and 11a of the box B2 are operated to clamp the box B2 to the stationary rod 65, when releasing it from the friction rod 42, and to release the box from the stationary rod 65, when clamping it to the friction rod 42. Thus, the shoes of the box clamping it to the friction rod are never shifted to clamp another rod, nor are the shoes clamping the box to the stationary rod shifted to clamp any other rod, but each set of shoes remains in position adjacent to, and cooperates only with, its own rod, as distinguished, for instance," from a carrier selector in which a single member carried by a friction box shifts from one carrier to another. The disc cams 16b, 160, 11b and are similarly operated relative to the boxes BI and B3. The centers of the active surfaces of the discs 18a and Ila of the box B2 are disposed in one hundred and eighty degree relation to each other for this purpose, as also are the centers of the active surfaces of the discs 16b and 11b of the box BI, and of the discs 16c and 11a of the box B3. The center of the inactive surface of each cam is disposed one hundred and eighty degrees from its active surface. On each cam Ila, 11b and He, the active surface occupies substantially one hundred and twenty degrees of the cam perimeter. The active surface of each cam 18a, 16b and occupies substantially two hundred and forty degrees of its perimeter.

With the discs 18a and 11a individual to the box B2, the discs 16b and Nb individual to the box BI, and the discs 16c and 110 individual to the box B3 related to each other in this manner, and directly interconnected by the shaft I01, a pattern repeating device is provided whereby the boxes will grip and release the friction rod in one, two, three order. During each operation of the pattern repeating device, the friction rod is gripped, and the stationary rod is released by one box, and the friction rod is released and the stationary rod is gripped by another rod.

Referring to Figs. 16a, 16b and 160, the parts are disposed in positions assumed at the time that the parts of Figs. 2 and 15, respectively, are in he positions therein shown.

At this time, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the carrier finger F2 of the carrier bar 2 is about to be moved from right to left, to effect which movement, as seen in Fig. 1611., the cam I'Ia has its active portion in active position clamping the box B2 to the friction rod 42 and the cam 16a is in position releasing the box from the stationary rod. Simultaneously with this condition, as seer in Fig. 16b, the cams 16b and Nb of the box BI are in active and inactive position relative to the rods '85 and 42, respectively, and, as seen in Fig. 16c, the cams 16c and Ho of the box B3 are in active and inactive position relative to the rods 65 and 42, respectively. Thus, during the time that the box B2 is being moved to the left, the boxes BI and B3 are idle, since they are clamped to the stationary rod 65 and released from the friction rod 42.

By reason of the angular extent of the active cam portions about the individual axes thereof and the angular relation of the cams of the respective boxes to each other, the parts as indicated in Figs. 16a, 16b and 16c, although conditioned for the above mentioned right to left movement of the box B2 while the boxes BI and B3 are idle, are also positioned such that upon the next simultaneous clockwise movement of all the cams to the position shown in Figs. 17a, 17b and 170, the box 132 will be released from the friction rod 42 and clamped to the stationary rod 65, the box BI will remain gripped to the stationary rod and released from the friction rod, and the box B3 will be clamped tothe friction rod and released from the stationary rod for moving the carrier bar 3 and the finger F3 from left to. right.

At the end of the latter left to right movement, when the next simultaneous clockwise movement of all the cams places them in the positionsshown in Figs. 18a, 18b and 180, the box B3 will be released from the friction rod and clampedto the stationary rod, the box B2 will rema n clamped to the stationary rod and released from the friction rod, and the box BI will be released from the stationary rod and clamped to the friction rod for movement from right to left.

The next operation in the above mentioned cycle, is the same as that shown by Figs. 16a, 16b and 160 with the others following in the order described; these operations being repeated throughout the single fabric completing cycle producing the ringless area.

A lever II2, pivotally mounted at a fixed position on the back narrowing shaft I I4, has one arm II5 carrying a cam follower roller I I! for cooperation with cams I2I and I22 (Fig, 11). The latter are secured by an angle member I23 and screws I24 to the slur cock boxes 45. These boxes are mounted on a connecting bar I25 which reciprocates on a stationary slur cock slide bar I21. A spring i28 biases the lever II2 clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 7, 8 and 10, toward the cams I2I, I22.

Another arm I3I of the lever I I2 is pivotally connected by a pin I32 to one end of a longitudinally adjustable link I33. The other end of the link I33 is pivotally connected by a pin I30 to an arm I36 projecting radially from the control shaft I01 on which the arm is loosely mounted. The arm I36 has a portion I31 to which a pawl I38 is pivoted by a pin I39. A tension spring I42 is connected between a pin I43 on the portion I35 and a pin I44 in a projection for cooperation with the I45 on the pawl I38, to lbias the pawl toward a ratchet wheel I41 keyed to the control shaft II". The arm [3| of the lever H2 is-provided with a projection I34 which carries a screw I35 wise movement of the lever 2, Fig. 9.

Upon reciprocation of the slur cock boxes 45, the cams i2l and I22 alternately engage the follower I H, at opposite ends of a coulier-motion stroke, to actuate the lever H2, and to'notch the ratchet wheel 14'! and the control shaft ill! in a counterclockwise forward movement. By this action, the gear wheel I09 advances the pinions 9i and I! for giving the rotary disc cams 16a and 11a the motion above described for simultaneously gripping the corresponding friction box to the friction rod 42 and releasing it from the stationary rod 65. The cams alternately reverse this action to simultaneously grip the box to the stationary rod and release it from the friction rod. These actionsof the boxes are performed to operate the yarn carrier bars I, 2 and 3, respectively, in one, two, three order, as above explained.

When this is done, the yarns Yl, Y2 and Y3 are laid as indicated in Fig. 3 whereby a single cycle of the yarn-laying action resides in first laying one yarn, such as the yarn Yl, from left to right, as indicated, leaving the carrier finger Fl ,of the yarn YI at the right end of its stroke, picking up the carrierfinger F2 .at the right 'end, moving it to the left to lay the yarn Y2 in the second course, releasing the finger F2 at the left-end of its stroke, and picking up the finger F3 at the left side mechanism to lay the yarn Y3 in the course.

These operations are effected by connecting and disconnecting entire friction boxes relative to the friction rod 42, as above set forth, in contrathird distinction to the former practice of constantly operating one special friction box, and sequentially operating" a slide or like member on the special box relative to the three carrier bars which it is to operate.

In the above described one, two, three cycle of operation of the boxes Bi, B2 and B3, by rotation of the member 85 (Fig. 12) of each box, the main carriers are given the advantage of cooperation with the reduced speed shock reducing mechanism without having this mechanism interfere in any way with the effective operation of the carriers.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above described results are obtained, may be modified in many ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and claimed. 1

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, a friction rod, friction boxes on said rod each connected to a separate yarn carrier bar, and a pattern repeating device for operating a plurality of the boxes in predetermined order and successively repeating a certain cycle of friction box operation including directly interconnected means individual to the friction boxes and each arranged to connect one of the friction boxes to the friction rod 50 that during each operation of said pattern repeating device one of the friction boxes is connected to the friction rod and another is disconnected therefrom.

2. In a knitting machine, friction rod means,-

a plurality of friction boxes, a rotatable shaft extending parallel to the friction rod means, and

shaft 65 to limit clockof the loop-forming shaft extending parallel to the friction rod means,

means for turning the shaft, and means movable along the shaft axis gearing the shaft to the cams, the cams of the respective boxes being related about the axes of rotation thereof in accordance with a given relation of operation of the boxes.

4. In a knitting machine, friction rod means, a plurality of friction boxes, cams journaled in said boxes for clamping and releasing the boxes relative to the friction rod means, a rotatable shaft extending parallel to the friction rod means, pawl and ratchet means for turning the shaft step by step, and means slidable on the shaft gearing the shaft to the cams, the cams of the respective boxes being related about the axes of rotation thereof in accordance with a given relation of operation of the boxes.

5. In a knitting machine, friction rod means, a plurality of friction boxes, holding means along the friction rod, cam means journaled in each box for releasing the box from the friction rod means and causing said holding means to hold the box when the box is so released, said cam means operating to operatively connect the box to the friction rod means and to release the box from said holding means for such connection, a rotatable shaft extending parallel to the friction rod means, means for turning the shaft, and means movable along the shaft axis gearing the shaft to the cams, the cams of the respectiveboxes being related about the axes of rotation thereof in accordance with a given relation of operation of the boxes.

6. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with a friction rod, and carrier bars, of a stationary rod parallel to the friction rod and to the carrier bars, a friction box including a two-part housing the parts of which embrace the friction rod and the stationary rod, respectively, clamping shoes and springs in said friction-box parts, 'means including cams rotatively journaled on the friction box for alternately clamping the shoes 'to the friction rod and to the stationary rod, respectively, reciprocable cams, and means including a lever pivoted to a stationary part of the machine carrying a follower for actuation by said reciprocable cams and mechanism responsive to operation of the follower by the latter cams for actuating the rotative cams.

7. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with a friction rod, and yarn-carrier bars, of astationary rod parallel to the friction rod and to the carrier bars, a plurality of friction boxes each including atwo-part housing the P rts of which embrace the friction rod and the stationary rod, respectively, clamping shoes and springs in said friction-box parts, means including cams rotatively journaled on each friction box for alternately clamping the corresponding shoes to the friction rod and to the stationary rod, respectively, means correlating the rotative cams of the several friction boxes to operate the latter in sequence whereby carrier bars associated with the respective boxes are operated in cycles, reciprocable cams, and means including a lever pivoted to a stationary part of the machine carrying a follower for actuation by the reciprocable cams and mechanism responsive to operation of the follower by the latter cams for actuating the rotative cams.

8. In a knitting machine, the combination with a yarn carrier, at reversely movable actuator for the yarn carrier, and means reversely movable at a speed less than the speed of the actuator, of a device for moving the carrier including means for operatively connecting the device to, and releasing 'it from, the actuator, and means for efiecting operative relation between said device and said reduced speed means and disassociating the device and the reduced speed means from each other.

9. In a knitting machine, the combination with a yarn carrier, a reversely movable actuator for the yarn carrier, and means reversely movable at a speed less than the speed of the actuator, of a device for moving the carrier including means for operatively connecting the device to, and releasing it from, the actuator, said connecting and releasing means including means for effecting operative relation between said device and said reduced speed means when the device is connected to the actuator and disassociating said device and the reduced speed means from each other when the device is released from the actuator.

10. In a knitting machine, the combination with a yarn carrier, a reversely movable actuator for the yarn carrier, and means reversely movable at a speed less than the speed of the actuator, of holding means, a device for moving the carrier including means for alternately operatively connecting the device to, and releasing it from, the actuator simultaneously with releasing it from, and operatively connecting it to, said holding means, said connecting and releasing means including means for effecting operative relation between said device and said reduced speed means when the device is connected to the actuator and disassociating said device and the reduced speed means from each other when the device is held by the holding means.

11. In a straight knitting machine, the com- ,bination with carrier bars, stops for the bars, a friction rod, and a rod reciprocable at a speedless than the speed of the friction rod, of a stationary rod, a friction box connected to one of said carrier bars, including means for alternately clamping the box to, and releasing it from, the friction rod simultaneously with releasing it from, and clamping it to, said stationary rod, said means including means for effecting operative relation between the box and said reduced-speed rod for reducing shocks of said one carrier against its stops when the box is clamped to the friction rod and preventing operative relation between the box and the reduced-speed rod when the box is clamped to the stationary rod.

12. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with carrier bars, stops for the bars,

a friction rod, and a rod reciprocable at a speed less than the speed of the friction rod, of a stationary rod, a plurality of friction boxes each connected to one of the carrier bars and each including means for alternately clamping the box to, and releasing it from, the friction rod simultaneously with releasing it from and clamping it to, said stationary rod, and means for operating said clamping and releasing means of the several boxes in apredetermined cycle and effecting operative relation between the boxes and the reduced speed rod for reducing shocks of impact of the cyclically operated bars with the corresponding stops when the boxes are clamped to the friction rod and preventing operative relation between the boxes and the reduced-speed rod when the boxes are clamped to the stationary rod;

CHRISTIAN F. MEYER. 

